Sharp-tails/ MT

[Jiffy]

A 308 gauge works for the ones that like to sit on hay bales.

 

[Traxion]

I’ve seen lots this year. Used to hunt them a lot in Sept and it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Late season can get tougher. Seen thousands deer hunting around flowers. Silly awesome birds.

 

[Allen]

They're MUCH easier to target when it's warm. No need to get out early, it's a very "gentlemanly" affair. Head for the shade after they've graveled, eaten, and want to rest in the cool, late morning-ish. They'll hold tight to shady cover when it's warm.

Tree-rows and "grouse-house" bushes. Keep the dog heeled until you have the grouse-house "surrounded" then turn them loose.

Once it cools, even if they haven't been hunted much, or at all, they're spooky and they don't mind flying.

Very true. I am pretty sure nobody hunts the sharpies where I used to bow hunt out in the Badlands. By end of October, even without being shot at those birds would fly at well over 100 yds away.

Kind of the same as the sharpies on our land, but those I knew were hunted. Field edges, grass strips in-between crop fields, and chokecherry clumps were always good. Shot a lot of them and huns as a kid because we didn't have many pheasants.

 

[espringers]

These two ^^^ crushed it. They will not let you get close when it's cold. Even early in the season. Has nothing to do with hunting pressure. Unless I am pondering walking roads or prairie trails... which is a crapshoot... there is zero sense in going out early unless the goal is just to try figure out a general area that you are unfamiliar with in order to find where they are. If you know an area that holds birds, let them hunker down after 11 or 12 and hit the shade. The only caveat is lots of wind generally keeps them jumpy all day and heat is fucking tough on dogs. Put a dog on 100 yard a retrieve with a grouse in its mouth in 75+ degree weather, you best have some water around.

 

[grumster]

Funny, I had 50 bird flushes at the end of season last season, perhaps you should get a better dog or at least stop yelling at your dog.. personally I've pouned coyotes at 5 yards hunting birds, how you ask? Me and my dog hunt silent.

 

[riverview]

sharpies covey up big time later in the season so instead of trying to fool a few there's 50 of them.

 

[Tinesdown]

sharpies covey up big time later in the season so instead of trying to fool a few there's 50 of them.

The sharpie forum oh yeah i love the bird but hate how theres not any place to l
Walk for them. These days it sucks to hunt the old grounds. I used to go up in a plateau are an always kick grouse shot a few up every opener. This spot actually had teepee rings on the birds lived there (williams) county best spot for grouse they always around. Its posted but have hunted it for 20 years.opener

 

[espringers]

grum, i don't have to yell at or even talk to my dogs. i've got a collar to communicate with them. walking up on a covey late season certainly might happen. but, my experience is that it would not be the norm though. carry on.

 

[BDub]

Late season they spook a half mile away. I’ve seen it many times.
Back in the late 70’s, early eighties this was the hay day for grouse.
I could tell you stories but won’t. Those were the days.

 

[1lessdog]

If you can find Alfalfa patches with seed pods still on them. They will be in them fields. I have pass shot them coming into sunflowers to feed in the morning also.

 

[3Roosters]

Alfalfa!!!!

 

[grumster]

Alfalfa!!!!

Little rasqurills..

 

[1lessdog]

Alfalfa!!!!

Yep, give it a try. There feeding on seed pods.

 

[3Roosters]

A number of years ago me and 2 buddies and my dog headed up near Edmore/ Hampden area. Hunted an old fellas land that we met at Pop's earlier. hahahha mostly alfalfa, ponds, etc.. we got our 9 sharpies on saturday and 9 on sunday. was awesome!!....IF i recall correctly. the birds flushed /flew on the side hillls when we walked.Not really hills.Perhaps they were watching??His grandson was gonna hunt the land for ducks and geese and bowhunting then on so we didnt hunt it then on. Still miss hunting that area.

 

[Traxion]

In the old days of crappy west side corn, we killed piles of them in armpit high corn. Alfalfa too. The tops of hills on windy days. Shady bushes on the hot days. And pass shot them into flowers too. The variety makes it fun.

 

[svnmag]

Funny, I had 50 bird flushes at the end of season last season, perhaps you should get a better dog or at least stop yelling at your dog.. personally I've pouned coyotes at 5 yards hunting birds, how you ask? Me and my dog hunt silent.

WTF is THAT?!! Holy shit

 

[bravo]

Place a hen mallard decoy on top of a round bale in the morning. It’s not stupid if it works.

 

[Traxion]

Place a hen mallard decoy on top of a round bale in the morning. It’s not stupid if it works.

Spinning wing decoy too? I can see it working

 

[bravo]

Never tried a spinning wing. This was first put into action when duck hunting up in Ramsey county. Sun came up and the ducks slowed down, but there were sharpies in the tree rows and one on top of a bale on the other side of the field. I took a floating decoy, put it on a nearby bale and within minutes a covey came out of the trees right to us. A few years later, same sort of situation. Sharpies flying at first light, decoy went up on a bale. Birds came right to it. Think there’s a market for grouse calls and decoys?

 

[svnmag]

Place a hen mallard decoy on top of a round bale in the morning. It’s not stupid if it works.

Damn right it's not stupid if it works!! Pass shooting STs...